Costco Cart Voyeur

Oh the wonderful world of Costco. I always find it fascinating to see what people will buy on their Costco trips, and tonight’s excursion did not disappoint. Even before I grabbed my own cart and walked through the entrance, I saw a couple pushing a flat-bed cart with a huge flat screen T.V, chicken stock, and canned tuna. Huh? I mean who goes shopping for a T.V, and then decides they also need chicken stock and canned tuna, and Costco sized ones at that?

All I needed was some fruit for tomorrow’s preschool party so by all accounts my cart looked pretty darn boring. I don’t think anyone would wonder how I could pair watermelon and strawberries. Well, I also had some mushrooms in my cart, which was technically an impulse buy so I guess some people may question the Costco sized mushrooms.

The checkout line is really when I check out what people are purchasing, and the guy in front of me may have had the greatest cart full of supplies that I have ever seen. He had six bottles of wine, a Costco sized bottle of whiskey, a Costco pizza, two giant Listerine bottles, gum, toothbrushes, camera gear, and beef jerky. Yep. Beef jerky. That is simply an inspiring cart. I don’t eat beef jerky, but Van is a big fan. I would have taken a picture of this cornucopia of Costco consumerism, but I didn’t want to freak out the dude.

Analyzing what people buy during a typical trip to Costco would be a great study of American consumerism. Heck, I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s already a study underway looking at just that, however I did a quick Google search and didn’t find anything. Even better would be a Costco reality show called Costco Cart Voyeur. I know I’d watch!